DougCo Drop – October 8th – Award Winning BBQ, Dueling Pianos, and Development Dreams

Seems like we’ve got a bit of an event and news hangover after all the Oktoberfests, fall festivals, and big headlines. Maybe it’s a sign it’s time for a quick fall retreat out of town.

Salida’s been on my radar — mountain views, hot springs, quiet coffee shops — and I came across this cool Mid-Century Modern when searching VRBO this past week…looks like a dream fall weekend setup.

Where’s your go-to fall escape?

Anyways, this week’s issue still brings plenty of quality — from a few standout local events to some fresh development buzz — plus a fantastic Tried & True feature and a new section I’m curious to get your thoughts on.

Saddle Up

🎤 Music & Concerts

🎤 Tribal Dantz
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Tribal Dantz is an acoustic duo consisting of Danny Martinez and Anthony Antz Trujillo.

🎤 Atom’s Open Mic Night
📅 Date: Thursday, October 9
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Wide Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Step up to the mic or enjoy local talent in Parker. A fun night of music, creativity, and community!

🎤 Mark May Live
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Lansdowne Arms, Littleton
🎤 Detail: Folk-grass singer-songwriter Mark May brings heartfelt tunes and guitar skill for a cozy evening of live music.

🎤 Mile Hi Groove
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Passion for creating an unforgettable musical experience drives them to infuse every performance with contagious energy and an irresistible groove.

🎤 Dueling Pianos
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM
📍 Location: Wide Open Saloon
🎤 Detail: A fun night of music, laughter, and sing-alongs!

🎤 Steve Thomas Band
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 8:30 PM - 12:30 AM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: This powerhouse cover band brings your favorite hits to life exactly the way you remember them. STB delivers unforgettable performances for events of all kinds.

🎤 Brett Hendrix
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Experience heartfelt lyrics, skilled guitar, and a genre-blending sound that spans country, blues, and rock.

🎤 6 Million Dollar Band
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Wide Goose Saloon, Parker
🎤 Detail: Colorado’s premier ’80s new wave band bringing all your favorite hits to Parker!

🎤 Adam Rey
📅 Date: Sunday, October 12
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill, Parker
🎤 Detail: Enjoy an afternoon of live music from talented guitarist Adam Rey. A free outdoor show (weather permitting).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family

🎃 Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8 - Sunday, November 2
⏰ Time: 6:15PM
📍 Location: The Hudson Gardens, Littleton
🎃 Detail: The Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns delights all ages on a glowing trail of thousands of magnificent, hand-carved pumpkins.

🎤 Karaoke Night - Kids Only
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Littleton
🎤 Detail: A fun, kid-friendly karaoke night hosted by Turn It Up DJs — let the kids take the stage and sing their hearts out!

🎃 Pumpkin Festival
📅 Date: Friday, October 10 - Sunday, October 12
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Chatfield Farms, Denver Botanic Gardens
🎃 Detail: The festival features a 10-acre pumpkin patch, a corn maze, live music, crafts, hayrides, and children’s activities.

🎃 Harvest Festival
📅 Date: Saturday. October 11
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Littleton Museum
🎃 Detail: Come and enjoy photo opportunities, a musical performance in the pumpkin patch, and historical demonstrations at no cost.

🪄 Seedlings: Magic Dave
📅 Date: Tuesday. October 14
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: Event Theater, Lone Tree
🪄 Detail: Join Magic Dave and his delightful animal puppets as they embark on a whimsical journey to discover the true essence of heroism.

🫖 Tiny Wings Tea Party
📅 Date: Tuesday. October 14
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
📍 Location: Southridge Auditorium, Highlands Ranch
🫖 Detail: Step into a magical afternoon of fairy costumes, tea, sweet treats, and whimsical make-believe! Children (ages 2–8) are encouraged to wear fairy wings and meet special fairy guests.

🎨 Arts & Culture

🎨 Do Not Be Afraid of Watercolor: Tea to Butter
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30PM
📍 Location: Parks & Recreation, Castle Rock
🎨 Detail: A watercolor painting course for beginners and intermediate artists.available.

🎥 Spirits with the Spirits Mansion Tours 
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Mansion
🎥 Detail: Guests sample boozy spirits, wander through dimly lit rooms, and hear spine-tingling tales from the mansion’s past. Tickets include one drink: cash bar available.

🎤 The Comedy Zone October 
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: The Schoolhouse, Parker
🎤 Detail: Laugh out loud in this fun-packed series, featuring two hilarious comedians for one low ticket price!

🍽️ Food & Drink

🍵 Coffee Chat Wednesday
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
📍 Location: Lone Tree Library
🍵 Detail: Join us for a casual morning of coffee, conversation, and games with fellow adults and retirees.

🍷 Scotch Whisky Tasting ~ The Barrels
📅 Date: Friday, October 10
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Cherokee Ranch & Castle
🍸 Detail: Enjoy 5 unique tastings paired with appetizers, hosted by Scott Beach with live bagpiping.

🍷 Oaked and Smoked
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Eastridge Recreation Center, Highlands Ranch
🍷 Detail: Spend an afternoon sampling whiskey and BBQ with HRCA and Davidson’s Beer, Wine & Spirits. Your ticket includes unlimited 1-oz whiskey samples in a souvenir tasting cup plus a BBQ meal. Must be 21+ (IDs required).

🍴 Restaurant Week  
📅 Date: Sunday, October 5 - Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: All Day
📍 Location: Downtown Castle Rock
🍴 Detail: Dine at some fantastic restaurants in Downtown Castle Rock with special items not on participating restaurants’ normal menus.

🍹 Nightlife & Entertainment

🎤 Avery Kyle Entertainment
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 8
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM
📍 Location: Tailgate Tavern & Grill - events
🎤 Detail: Join Avery Kyle Entertainment for a high-energy karaoke night, complete with dance sets and an unforgettable crowd vibe. Free show!

🌃 Comedy Night 18+
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Littleton
🌃 Detail: Join Sterling Ranch for a Hilarious Night Out professional comedians (some with national exposure) headlining a show for adults. Laughter guaranteed!

🧠 Trivia Night
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 15
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Sterling Center, Littleton
🧠 Detail: Party Pro DJs will lead you through rounds of trivia, so grab a team and head to the Sterling Center.

🗓️ On the Horizon

🎥 Mountainfilm on Tour  
📅 Date: Thursday, October 16
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Southridge Auditorium, Highlands Ranch
🎥 Detail: Experience a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed, and inspiring documentary films handpicked from the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride.

🎃 Boo Hollow - Our First Village!
📅 Date: Friday, October 17 - Sunday, October 19
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Tagawa Gardens, Centennial
🎃 Detail: This isn’t just a place to trick-or-treat or shop — it’s a place to slow down, play, and experience the magic of a handcrafted town made just for kids.

🍂 Fall Festival
📅 Date: Saturday, October 25
⏰ Time: 10:00 Am - 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Village Square Business District, Castle Pines
🍂 Detail: This community favorite is the perfect way to celebrate the season with family, friends, and neighbors.  

🎤 Sounds to Die For  
📅 Date: Tuesday, October 28
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Highlands Ranch Community Association - Southridge Rec Center
🎤 Detail: A Halloween / themed concert featuring haunting hits, classic rock, and movie music, performed by the Soundtrack Orchestra.

🚗 Worth the Drive

🍽️ 5280 Dines
📅 Date: Sunday, October 12
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📍 Location: The Brighton, Denver5280 Dines
🍽️ Detail: A 21+ culinary event on October 12 at The Brighton in Denver, featuring top local restaurants, drinks, and entertainment.

🎶 Aurora Borealis Festival
📅 Date: Friday, October 10 - Saturday, October 11
⏰ Time: 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 Location: Painted Prairie, Aurora
🎶 Detail: A free two-day festival on October 10–11 in Aurora with light installations, live music, food, and interactive experiences.

Wanted, Help

Local jobs and opportunities across Douglas County.

• Director of Finance - Advent Health - Castle Rock

• Financial Analyst - Lockheed Martin - Highlands Ranch

• Executive Assistant - Global Channel Management - Lone Tree

If you’re hiring, reach out at [email protected] for a free posting.

Land and Lore

Are we just moving downtown Denver to Lone Tree?

Lone Tree’s City Center wants to be metro Denver’s next large-scale, vibrant downtown — a 440-acre “walkable urban core” with up to 12 million sq ft of office and retail, 5,000 housing units, and 35,000 jobs. The city’s pitch sounds bold: $350 million already spent on light rail, I-25 interchanges, and “shovel-ready” infrastructure, plus another $120 million in improvements on deck.

But here’s the rub: Douglas County’s office vacancy rate was 16.6% as of Q4 2024 (latest Economic Development Report published), while Lone Tree’s stands at 8.5%, according to The Denver Gazette. Downtown Denver is still worse — roughly 35% vacant, per Walker & Dunlop — a reminder that buildings don’t guarantee buzz.

The apartment market isn’t exactly hot either. Metro Denver’s vacancy sits around 6.4%, with rents down 3.7% year-over-year, according to the Apartment Association of Metro Denver. If downtown is struggling to fill space, why duplicate it in Lone Tree instead of revitalizing what’s already built? Even Denver’s own Pavilions mall was purchased by the city’s Downtown Development Authority for $37 million after years of vacancies — a move aimed at re-energizing a once-buzzy “open-air urban hub.”

The logic seems to be: if you build it, they will come. But today’s economy runs on hybrid work, shrinking footprints, and AI-driven efficiency. The reality? Most companies are leasing less, not more. So where exactly do those 35,000 jobs come from — and who’s filling all that square footage?

It’s also worth noting how much of this renewed ambition stems from one moment of outside validation: the Broncos’ brief flirtation with building their next stadium here. They passed — and moved on to Burnham Yard in Denver — but Lone Tree appears to have taken that interest as proof that the land is destined for greatness.

Maybe City Center will work if they land a corporate HQ, tech campus, or other true anchor and phase it carefully. But right now it reads like a massive, speculative bet on a market that’s clearly softening. The risk is obvious: a bold, expensive project that needs rescuing 20 years from now — or immediately.

Sounds great if you’re Coventry Development Corp. and looking to sell to the next developer.

Sources:
City of Lone Tree Economic Development, local reporting from Denver Gazette, The Center Square and Douglas County Economic Development, and recent market data from Walker & Dunlop and the Apartment Association of Metro Denver.

Hometown Headlines

Avalanche Unveil Fan-Friendly Pricing and Local Eats at Ball Arena
TLDR: Ahead of the Avalanche’s 30th anniversary season, Ball Arena and Legends are launching “fan-friendly” pricing and new local food options. Starting this year, fans can grab $5 favorites like hot dogs, fries, and fountain drinks, plus $10 draft beers at select stands. New local vendors include Redeemer Pizza, Nola Jane, Big Belly BBQ, Mexico City Lounge, and Illegal Burger, bringing a taste of Denver’s food scene to game nights.

Broncos Shock Eagles with Wild Fourth-Quarter Comeback
TLDR: The Broncos stunned the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles 21–17, erasing a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit with 18 unanswered points. Rookie QB Bo Nix led three straight scoring drives, capped by a touchdown to Evan Engram and a gutsy two-point conversion to Troy Franklin that gave Denver the lead. Courtland Sutton came up huge with a third-and-15 catch that kept the comeback alive, while the defense shut down Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley down the stretch. Nik Bonitto added 2.5 sacks, bringing his season total to seven. It marked Denver’s largest fourth-quarter comeback since 2023 and snapped Philadelphia’s 10-game win streak.

Wait — Jamal Murray’s Never Been an All-Star? That Might Change This Year
TLDR: It’s almost hard to believe, but Jamal Murray has never been an All-Star — despite averaging 20 points, 6 assists, and nearly 40 percent from three in each of the past three seasons. Bleacher Report just predicted this will finally be the year the Nuggets add a second All-Star alongside Nikola Jokic. With Denver projected near the top of the West and the 2026 All-Star Game shifting to a USA vs. World format, Murray’s Canadian background could give him an edge for a roster spot. If he stays healthy and keeps producing, the long-overdue recognition might finally catch up to the Nuggets’ second star.

Tried & True

🔥 Tried & True: GQue BBQ (Lone Tree)

Let’s be honest — GQue didn’t need any more awards to prove it’s legit. They’ve already been crowned Best BBQ in Denver by 5280, Westword, and pretty much every outlet that’s ever ranked smoked meat. But after finally hitting their Lone Tree location, I get it.

The brisket? Perfect. Juicy, smoky, exactly what you hope for when you see the pink ring. The jalapeño sausage was melt-in-your-mouth good — maybe the sleeper hit of the whole meal. Pulled pork? Solid. Fries? Crispy and seasoned right. And yeah, the wings live up to the hype — they’ve won national awards for a reason.

Then there’s the sauce lineup: balanced, flavorful, not trying too hard. But the real kicker? You can walk next door and grab ice cream from Ice Cream Farm. They loaded me up with bourbon butterscotch and salted caramel Oreo, and I’m not exaggerating — it might be some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had.

They’ve got four locations, plus some sports venues, do catering, and even run a rewards program that’ll earn you a free pulled pork sandwich.

If you haven’t been — go. If you’ve already been — go again.

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